Sleep
by Emo Fox
Summary: AU/JTHM-Verse Sasuke watches Naruto sleep. One-Shot spinning off another fic of mine. SasuNaru


Author's Notice:

This is set sometime in the "Sasuke the Homicidal Maniac" universe. Obviously my current fiction isn't this far, and I don't think it'll ever get this far. This scene won't be in the actual story but I thought a bit of romance for these two were sort of necessary since the story itself is rather dark and probably will be that way for a while.

Anyway. This is just a blurb, I had Kareian-chan help me with it just because I wanted to do something fun and a little different since it wasn't just out of my head but out of hers too. I hope you guys' enjoy it and please leave a review when you get to the bottom.

"Sleep"

'One-Shot'

By: Emo Fox and Kareian

It was raining.

Sasuke didn't hate or love the rain; rain was rain, but it was a bit of a bother since he didn't own an umbrella. The Uchiha had walked in the semi-stormy weather all the way to Naruto's apartment complex. He stomped up the steps, his heavy combat boots causing a squishing crunch as he neared the third level. He stalked down the hall as he usually did, paying no mind to the people that shot glances his way.

His skin was paler than usual because of the icy rain, causing the dark circles to look more prominent on his flesh. His hair was matted and its usual spikes were sort of lost; drooping with water as well as a few bits of gore.

Sasuke made sure he killed before he visited Naruto.

Whether it was a conscious or unconscious effort to remain sane in the blonde's presence would be uncertain; but Naruto probably would have noticed Sasuke always coming over covered in blood.

Though the rain had nearly washed it all away, only the dark stains on his clothes really remained, but his skin was devoid of the brownish-red liquid.

Sasuke stood in front of Naruto's door, his dark eyes staring at it a long moment before he raised his hand to knock upon the emotionless wood. Once said task was complete he'd tuck his hands before his back as if forcing himself to be patient as he glared hard at Naruto's door.

Never mind the fact that Naruto might not be home, that he might be at work.

No.

Naruto had to be home.

Naruto was supposed to be home.

Sasuke didn't feel like going to Naruto's work, he didn't feel like walking back in the rain, he just didn't fucking feel like walking all the way out there again.

Naruto _better_ be home.

Anger was starting to bite up his spine, his muscles tense under his flesh as he waited and waited and waited.

Naruto raised a curious eyebrow at the sound of knocking against his door.

Who was there?

Unraveling himself from the blanket he had wrapped around himself, he stood up from his lying down position on the couch. He only had an orange wife beater on, and blue sleeping pants on. Scratching the back of his messy blonde spikes, he shuffled towards the door, turning the t.v off as he went.

He hadn't gotten a call from work, so it wasn't Shikamaru or Kiba...his landlord maybe?

Reaching out, he opened up the door and smirked slightly at the sight of Sasuke forcing himself to stand still outside his door, "Hey..." He stepped aside so Sasuke could step in. He could see the brownish stain on Sasuke's clothes and could faintly smell the coppery scent of blood.

Sasuke had killed again, and had gotten away with it...again.

"Do you want a towel?" He asked as he eyed the water slowly sliding down Sasuke's pale skin.

It had only taken a total of two minutes for Naruto to get to the door but already Sasuke's mood was soured.

It really didn't take much.

The Uchiha had started to walk towards the couch as usual, his back to Naruto as he slunk into the room in his usual gait. "Mm." He offered, which could either mean yes or no, it was really Naruto's call.

Sasuke took his seat on the far right side of the couch, against the armrest as he reached for the remote. He clicked on the t.v.; normally he'd find static but tonight he decided on finding a program. He enjoyed some programs, however few they were, and he felt like watching one.

As he flicked through the channels his dark eyes turned to Naruto as if wordlessly asking what he was doing still standing there. Sasuke's look was always a little too harsh, his lips tugged into a frown and he was nearly impossible to read.

However, after a few tense moments of staring Sasuke went back to viewing the t.v., finally settling on a horror movie which was probably almost over since it was a scene of a girl getting stabbed to death. Content, the Uchiha set the remote down, drawing his knees to his chest to hide his shivers; his rain-soaked clothing leaking into Naruto's couch.

Well, it wasn't a big deal.

It was already stained with blood where Sasuke normally sat; the blonde would be better off buying a new couch, preferably after Sasuke left his life.

Screams filled the tense silence and Sasuke's frown pinched slightly, "He's doing it wrong." He murmured to no one in particular.

Naruto chuckled slightly as he stepped into the bathroom to grab a clean towel and a fresh set of sleeping pants and a tee shirt. "You would know, wouldn't you?" He teased slightly as he stepped up to the couch and draped the towel over Sasuke's head, but allowing him to still stare at the TV. He glanced to the TV and glimpsed at the movie, watching the flash of a bloody knife flash on the screen. Sitting down on his side he set the clothes next to Sasuke, "Dry off and change. You'll be warmer."

Sasuke hadn't responded to Naruto's comment which was actually a good thing. This could either mean Sasuke was finally getting used to Naruto, or that he was really into the movie.

As the towel fell over his head and shoulders Sasuke flicked his dark narrowed eyes to Naruto as if in challenge but noticed his grin and turned his dark eyes back on the program. Wordlessly he started to scrub his head, his eyes still trained on the t.v. until finally his hair was clean and back to it's spiky mess. He set the towel in his lap, glancing to the clothing before he finally forced himself up.

Without a word the Uchiha took the offered clothes; it was almost a routine. He walked to the bathroom and made quick work of changing, wearing Naruto's baggy black flannel pants and his blue t-shirt. They were large, not only because Naruto was a bit taller, but also because Sasuke was borderline anorexic.

Sasuke remained in the bathroom a long moment, staring at his reflection before his eyes trailed to his own clothing on the counter. His hands easily felt the blades under the fabric, as if debating with himself whether or not to try and figure out how to strap them under the pajamas he was now wearing.

It was a dilemma he was always faced with and he never knew how to go about it.

He frowned, finally just deciding to tug his boots back on, the pants falling over them easily letting only the metal toe to be seen. He decided to tuck a knife or two in there; just in case.

Trust still was absent between him and Naruto.

Sasuke decided to leave his clothing on the counter with the towel, finally emerging from the bathroom. He stalked back over to the couch and was a little disappointed the movie was on a commercial.

…he hated commercials.

Sasuke once again brought his knees to his chest, his knobby arms wrapped around them as he set his chin on the top of them as if trying to protect himself from some unseen force.

Naruto easily watched Sasuke move around the room. He looked so tiny, so thin in his own clothes..

Maybe he could get Sasuke to eat more?

Aahh, why was he so fixated on trying to help him? Why was he always so trusting around this killer?

Sighing heavily he glanced back to the commercial, unconsciously humming along with the nameless tune. He pillowed his face against his fist, his elbow on the arm of his couch. He had almost been asleep when Sasuke had shown up. Yawning, he drew the blanket back over his semi-stretched out legs and glanced back to Sasuke's curled up form.

He needed to do more research on Sasuke...

On Paranoia, schizophrenia...bi polar disorder...

Everything and anything that applied to him.

He needed to understand.

No.

He _had_ to!

Yet, at the same time, he needed to help Sasuke, help bring him back to a more sane level. He was getting better...in a strange way.

Usually he would be trying to convince himself that he was going to kill the blonde, but drowned out the remaining voices with static--...

He wasn't watching static this time.

Sitting up Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly as he came to the realization.

"No static today?"

Sasuke seemed to come out of whatever thought he had been in, or perhaps, coming out of whatever daze he had been in. He glanced to the blonde as if seeing him for the first time.

He frowned just a little, "Yeah," He said as if that was the most normal thing in the world, "Why?" Sasuke kept his dark eyes on Naruto, his figure once again tensing; not that it could be seen under the loose clothing.

Sasuke was always so defensive, over the silliest things.

"Just..." Naruto shifted back into the couch, trying to relax once more, "Just surprised really."

Did this mean that Sasuke was improving?

Sasuke didn't get the implication.

He just kept glaring at Naruto as if he said something offensive. However, before he could even fathom a proper response the movie flashed back on and Sasuke's attention immediately diverted.

He perked up like a child on Christmas, his black eyes intent on the t.v. as the murderer on screen dragged a flailing teenager into a cabin.

Sasuke rarely got to enjoy programs at his own house, he did own a t.v. but that didn't mean he got to watch things whenever he wanted.

Itachi and Orochimaru normally interrupted everything, they bickered over the t.v. and it was very annoying. At Naruto's at least he could focus; he should really do this more often, he hadn't even thought of it before tonight.

Sasuke's frown faded into a faint grin, mirth in his eyes as the teenager got slaughtered and rigged up to something…well, something that resembled what Sasuke had strapped Naruto to a long time ago.

Ah, memories.

Naruto watched Sasuke perk up at the sight of the second slaying. He truly did enjoy killing and watching killing. He shuddered at the sound of the screams and blood and drew the blanket back up his body. He wasn't going to interrupt Sasuke's show. If he enjoyed it, then he wasn't going to distract him.

But he still needed to do that research...

But he was getting sleepy...

Closing his eyes he settled back into the couch, lazily shifting his ankle gently bumping Sasuke's boot.

--

A half hour passed and the show ended. He started to flick through the channels again, not really aware Naruto was asleep, not even caring as the blonde's foot popped his personal bubble.

He wasn't aware of it, but then again, Naruto's foot on his shoe might just not have been felt; his boot was rather thick.

He continued to channel surf, nibbling the inside of his lip as he tried to keep focused.

..gods..

Maybe he should go home soon.

His brain was itching; it wasn't a good thing, it really wasn't.

His sanity was always fleeting but he thought he was nearing the end of his proverbial leash. He'd have to excuse himself before he started to hear them again.

..but, they were faint out here, even if he did hear them.

Maybe he could ignore them?

Sasuke continued to think, passing yet another channel he had stopped on a bit too long.

Pop!

Before the Uchiha knew all the lights went out and so did the t.v. He was caught up in darkness, and his whole body went rigid. Immediately he glared at Naruto but found his figure un-moving.

..so, he hadn't caused this then.

Sasuke's wasn't a stranger to black-outs, but it had been so long since he experienced one, it took him quite a while to actually figure out what had just happened. He finally turned from Naruto, getting off the couch, setting the remote on the arm rest. He glanced here and there, it was so dark he couldn't see anything and he didn't know the lay out of Naruto's house yet.

He looked to the windows, trying to gain reference whenever the lightening flashed and illuminated the small space.

Sasuke was getting antsy, paranoid, feeling Itachi and Orochimaru watching him even if he couldn't hear them. He was starting to snap; he needed to get out of this darkness, he needed to do something.

Sasuke turned back to the blonde, kneeling before him, one hand on the hilt of a hidden blade, the other reaching up for Naruto's shoulder.

...he paused.

His skeletal hand hovered there, his black eyes looking to Naruto's sleeping face; or what he could see of it from the dim light. He noticed how relaxed he looked, how peaceful, how vulnerable.

No.

No. No. No. No!

Sasuke snapped himself out of it, finally making the plunge and grabbing Naruto's shoulder; he felt the soft warm flesh under the fabric as he shook him, trying desperately to wake him up. "Naruto." He said in a quick snap.

Naruto jerked awake, his hand going to grip Sasuke's wrist out of pure reaction. His heart jumped up into his throat, pounding in his veins. "Huh!?" He had no idea what had grabbed him, his vision finally clearing - recognizing Sasuke next to him, but it was so dark.

What?

What happened?

Sasuke remained perched by the blonde, almost instantly going for his blade the moment Naruto grabbed his wrist.

His weapon was in hand, the steel glinting in the failing light as Sasuke's narrowed eyes remained on Naruto's face.

It seemed to take everything he had to not lash out; Sasuke wasn't used to being touched much less grabbed and it sort of just kicked in his knee-jerk reaction. "Power went out," He said rather calmly, not liking the feel of Naruto's warm firm fingers around his thin wrist, hating the feel of the power of it all.

But, despite Sasuke's obvious lack of muscle he was strong, strong enough to wrench his hand out of Naruto's grasp, setting back a little bit, still crouched as if he were about to pounce on him any moment and stab that knife into him.

Sasuke definitely looked sinister in the lack of lighting; only bits and pieces high-lighted and when the lightening flashed the glint of his black eyes look predatory with the shine of his weapon.

...it was as if Naruto himself were in the horror movie he had just seen.

"Fix it."

"What?" Naruto breathed out as Sasuke drew back. Slowly sitting up, he let the blanket fall down to pillow in his lap. He gazed around his dark apartment, before his eyes settled back on Sasuke. His eyes fixated on the knife in Sasuke's hand. "I...I can't." He answered slowly, his eyes flickering back to Sasuke's shining black orbs. "I…can't."

Sasuke eyed the blonde a long moment before he took his seat on the couch again, the blade still in his hand but not as menacing as before.

...his mood swung quite often, and despite his previous urge to want to attack, it seemed to dissapate now.

Sasuke was facing Naruto, his back on the arm rest, his legs just slightly parted where his hands rested between them, the tip of the blade on the couch coushin.

He could see Naruto's outline, could see the bright blue of his eyes, the grey light from the windows in the room offering a little lighting for the two men.

Sasuke didn't seem like he liked Naruto's answer but he was unsure what else to say on it. He wasn't clueless to black outs, he didn't like them, and he didn't like them at all when they lasted a long time.

Now what was he going to do?

He leaned his head back looking towards the window his alabaster throat exposed, "Why?" He asked his tone hollow and deep.

…he knew why, but that didn't stop him from asking.

Maybe he was a little frustrated, a little annoyed, a little antsy.

Those emotions never played well with Sasuke; especially not when he was in the company of someone else, however rare that was.

"I don't know how, the building's power has gone out." The blonde pointed out as he let his legs drop from the couch, and rubbed at his face. "Is it...bothering you?" He asked after a small glance back to Sasuke.

Sasuke kept staring at nothing really, looking out the window sort of but it was all the way across the room. The rain was angry, the thunder jostling his thoughts which was sort of a good thing.

"Mm," He offered Naruto before he drew his gaze back to the male sitting on the couch a few feet from him. "Why were you sleeping?" He asked, it was off-topic and rather out of the blue, but then again, Sasuke never stayed on specific topics.

His mind ran in whatever direction it chose and so did his mouth at times.

Once again those intense black eyes rooted on Naruto's bright blue; idly he twirled the large knife in his hand, the hiss of metal on fabric heard whenever it dipped into the cushion of the couch.

Naruto wasn't bothered by the knife twirling, his eyes catching the flashing blade. "I was tired." He offered as he gazed back at Sasuke. He reached back and rubbed at his hair, "It's just been a long week."

Sasuke kept watching Naruto as if studying his face as he mulled his answer over in his head. "Tired," He murmured as if it were a foreign word. Well, maybe it was. Especially by the look of the dark circles under his eyes, one had to question if the Uchiha slept at all. "What's it," He paused, almost looking apprehensive; such an odd emotion on Sasuke's face as his brow furrowed, "What's it like?"

"Hm?" He gazed back at Sasuke an eyebrow raised slightly.

What was it like to be tired?

Didn't Sasuke know?

"When was the last time you slept?" He asked.

Sasuke frowned, noticing that Naruto hadn't responded to his question. However, the Uchiha decided to respond anyway, "I don't sleep." He said simply, "I don't like it."

Was this the honest truth?

Sasuke hadn't slept for as long as he could remember?

Was that even humanly possible?

It really wasn't, but somehow it had to be the truth, why would Sasuke lie?

"You didn't answer my question." He said flatly.

"I was just trying to see if you remember it." Naruto grinned slightly.

He went quiet for a long while, trying to figure out how he was going to explain 'tired' to Sasuke.

He drew in a long breath and closed his eyes, "Tired," Naruto started in a low breath, "It's like something tugging at your mind trying to force your eye closed trying to quiet your mind." He smiled at the thought of sleep, "It relaxes your body, your muscles and it's just peaceful."

"Peaceful?" Sasuke rolled the word on his tongue, looking as confused as ever.

Sasuke really was clueless.

His brows furrowed just a bit deeper, all his attention on the blonde as if they were discussing some intense secret.

"But," He murmured, leaning forward just slightly, hunched over his blade as he closed just a bit of distance between then, "Don't you wake up different?"

Such a strange question.

But, Sasuke was serious, and whatever meaning he was trying to convey might be lost on Naruto; but he was certainly locked on it.

"No and yes." Naruto answered honestly, "It's like falling asleep, but backwards. Go from peaceful to relaxed to a quiet mind to opening your eyes to just peace once more." he stretched his arms in front of him. "Its one of the best feelings in the world especially when your warm."

Sasuke didn't believe him.

Sasuke couldn't believe him.

How could he?

Naruto was basically dismissing his biggest fear; one Sasuke wasn't so proud of, but scared of none the less. He feared when he slept he'd wake up different; like losing his mind all over again.

He didn't like the lack of control.

He didn't like that sleep took him over so completely, engulfed him in darkness, fed him nightmares then jolted him awake in cold sweats.

He faintly remembered sleeping; a long, long time ago and none of the events had been so nice and comforting as Naruto described.

"Your lying." He said in that same guarded flat tone, his dark eyes narrowed as another turbulent mood came upon him.

"No. Well, it's like that most of the time." Naruto corrected and looked away from Sasuke, "I just...that's what it's like for me." He let out a long sigh, "Sometimes I have nightmares, sometimes it isn't that easy..."

How could he explain this?

It was complicated.

Sasuke continued to watch the blonde, even when Naruto had looked away. He frowned just slightly, "I don't like sleeping." Sasuke murmured in his same flat tone, his eyes falling from Naruto, staring down at the blade between his hands.

A growl of thunder pulsed over head; a spark of lightening illuminated the room. Everything looked like it had been washed in dark ink and grey hues a moment before the light receded and left them in their original muted colors.

Sasuke shifted on the couch, moving to pull his knees up again, absently sheathing the knife back in his boot and Naruto should wonder just how many more weapons were on his person. Sasuke wrapped his arms around his legs, his dark eyes turning back to the man before him.

Naruto sighed softly and glanced back out side, "Sleep is still good though." He paused, "You never passed out? You're always awake? You have to get tired." He pointed out, his mind trying to figure out how Sasuke could stay up for days on end.

He watched the man curl up on his couch, arms tight around his knees. He quickly discovered that this was Sasuke comfort position, something he could go back to when he was unsure or off balance.

Sasuke looked away again, his chin on his knee, looking very small in Naruto's bulky loose clothing. "I don't know." He said honestly, "I don't know." He said again as if trying to reiterate his thought process.

Sasuke didn't remember sleeping, didn't remember passing out if he ever did, he knew he'd get tired.

Sometimes his blades felt heavy; sometimes he didn't feel like chasing people, sometimes he didn't feel like even getting off the couch to get food.

Sometimes he felt like that.

That was being tired, or he assumed it was.

But he didn't remember sleeping.

Since he couldn't remember it, it had to be a bad memory, or maybe it just never existed at all.

What Sasuke didn't know was when his body did reach its limit he would pass out, but very briefly, maybe a few minutes, maybe an hour, he'd wake up more crazed than usual, but slowly he'd go back to normal and then he'd forget being asleep at all.

Sasuke was insane, that was a fact, and going hand in hand with his insanity was his bad memory.

Not a good combination.

He didn't feel that way now, not right now. That was he certain of.

The clothes were comfortable though, and they smelled like Naruto, which was always strange. Stranger still was that he liked the smell; Naruto's clothes smelled like wet dirt, like outside. It was comforting in a strange way and he wasn't sure exactly why, but he didn't hate it.

He didn't hate Naruto.

Sasuke shifted, unwinding himself just slightly as he leaned back on the arm rest.

But he still had to kill him.

He did.

Unless Naruto could fix him.

Was he getting fixed?

Was not hating Naruto making him fixed?

Sasuke bit the inside of his lip in thought, not really aware just how quiet he had been, how long the silence had stretched on, but Sasuke never was a good keeper of time.

Not tired.

He wasn't tired.

Not now. Not now. Not Now.

Sasuke forced the singular thoughts in his brain, forced himself to focus, to stop thinking so abstractly, to stop fixating on Naruto. His mind was split, part of him still wanted to get rid of him, the other part wanted to stay in his company, wanted Naruto to stay being alive so he could forever wear these clothes that smelled like outside.

He liked them.

"I'm not tired." He said finally, whether that would mean anything to the conversation or not he said it anyway.

Naruto smirked softly and let out a long, slow sigh. "You're lucky then. You can work all day and all night and not get sleepy." He stretched again and leaned back against the couch once more, his eyes closing. "I always get tired this time of night." He snuggled back under his blanket and glanced back at Sasuke, "You going to stay tonight, guard the place?" He teased slightly.

Sasuke continued to eye Naruto as if trying to process what he had just said.

Stay the night?

Naruto had never asked him to stay over before.

Sasuke was confused; this broke their usual routine.

Normally he'd come over, stay a few hours, sometimes they'd eat, sometimes they'd stare at the static, sometimes Naruto would talk about things and Sasuke would just listen.

But..

The Uchiha had never stayed the whole night before.

Sasuke didn't know what to think, how to react. What about home? Shouldn't he be home? What would Orochimaru and Itachi say? What would happen there without him?

Sasuke glanced to the door, then to the window with the rain thundering outside, then to Naruto who looked so content in his blankets.

How was he so calm? Relaxed?

Did Naruto not hate him too?

He had to, didn't he? To ask him to stay?

Sasuke was quiet another long, tense moment before he finally spoke, "Really?"

An odd question, but Sasuke was full of things that didn't make sense. Naruto could decipher him, he usually could.

Naruto glanced back up to Sasuke's eyes, catching the tense almost protective look in his eyes..he seemed a bit confused and unsure all at the same time..

"Yea...if you want, it's alright." he smiled softly, as if to reassure the insane Uchiha.

"It's alright with me if you want to stay."

He sat up slightly, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders for a moment before he stared back at Sasuke.

"I can find a flash light for you, if the dark is bothering you."

"No." Sasuke said after a moment, slowly uncurling himself, letting his legs extend in front of him, they almost reached the opposite arm rest; they rested in the empty space where Naruto didn't occupy.

"I'm," He paused, his hands in his lap, "I'm fine."

Was he really?

What would he do?

If he really saw Naruto just sleeping like that?

Just.. all his defenses down?

Sasuke didn't know, he had a morbid curiosity for it, wanting to know; his dark eyes staring intently at Naruto as if willing him to go to sleep so he could test his own sanity.

"Alright." Naruto sighed and slowly pushed himself up from the couch, "I'm going to bed." He took his blanket off of his shoulders and, like the towel; he draped it over Sasuke's thin shoulders. "Don't stay up too late." He teased slightly as he started out of the living room and back towards his bedroom.

Falling face first into his bed, he somehow managed to wiggle the blankets back up over his body, the top sheet resting across the middle of his back. He hugged his pillow slightly as he sank down into it all at the same time. Letting out a long sigh, he closed his eyes, his body settling down into the mattress.

He didn't know or understand why he was perfectly comfortable with an insane killer in his power outage apartment. He knew Sasuke would have a knife of him, at least one, he had seen it.

But, still it didn't bother him.

He knew Sasuke wouldn't kill him.

...that reminded him; he had to start that research.

He'd go to the library later.

Smiling softly into his pillow, he gently nuzzled the fabric before he finally drifted off.

--

Sasuke had tilted his head back, his body going over the arm rest, the blankets pooled all over him as he had watched Naruto leave towards his room.

That had been an hour ago.

Sasuke had stared and stared and stared for that entire hour and his neck was starting to cramp.

Finally the Uchiha got back to a sitting position, his legs off the couch, the blankets around him. They were so fluffy and soft; he didn't have blankets in his house, he didn't own a bed either, he didn't sleep after all.

Sasuke noticed that these blankets also smelled like outside.

Sasuke stared at the carpet, starting to count the fibers before he grew bored with that activity and then started to stare at the t.v. He could see himself in it, a dark sillouhette on the reflective grey of the electronic. He had reached for the remote before he remembered why the t.v wasn't on in the first place.

Finally the Uchiha got off the couch and wandered to the kitchen, he went to the fridge, not really having a direction but he pulled it open anyway.

It smelled. Ick.

He frowned and shut the door, kicking it for good measure.

He hated bad smelling things.

He went to the cabinets but found he couldn't see this far into the room and instead decided to retreat. He glanced to the opposite side of the apartment, where the window was, where Naruto's room was.

Sasuke wondered if he locked his door.

Sasuke finally gave into curiosity and started for Naruto's room, the draped blankets pooling behind him like an awkward cape as he neared the blonde's room. He hesitated a moment, just staring at the handle of the door, staring and staring.

Nervous?

Sasuke never got nervous.

There was something else there.

Apprehension?

Maybe.

Was he going to go in? Was he going to kill Naruto? Was tonight going to be the last night of this.. whatever this was?

Sasuke didn't know.

He didn't have the answers.

Naruto had the answers.

Sasuke finally gripped the handle in his bony claw-like fingers; wrenching it open, finding that it hadn't been locked.

So trusting.

So foolish.

Sasuke stalked into the room like a nightmare to a dream, his shadow fluid as he crept towards the bump on the bed. He stayed at the foot of Naruto's bed, his dark eyes just watching, staring at the rise and fall of Naruto's back as he slept oblivious.

Sasuke rounded the bed, towards his night table, towards the window where it cast the room into hues of grey and black. He sunk to the floor, blankets still around him as he gazed up at Naruto's sleeping face.

He saw the whisker marks; they were dark and angry on his flesh, they stood out and it made Sasuke actually smile.

He'd always remember him because of those.

Memories.

Right on his face.

Naruto was so lucky.

Sasuke rocked forward just enough so his chest touched the edge of the bed, his face still craned in the direction of Naruto.

It had been hours.

Had to have been.

The light outside was getting lighter but Sasuke hadn't moved.

He kept staring at Naruto's face; waiting for the itch in his brain, waiting for the signal to strike, to kill.

It never came.

Sasuke lifted his hand, reaching out to touch the scars on Naruto's face. Such an absurd gesture; Sasuke never touched someone deliberately but here he was.

His icy fingers touched the grooved ridge of Naruto's scar, feeling the blonde's warm skin, that same fascinated almost envious smile on his lips.

So lucky.

So very very lucky.


End file.
